SANTA CRUZ >> A total of 100 people working at 14 Valero Corner Stores in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties have gotten layoff notices as of July 5 due to a change in ownership.

The new owner, 7-Eleven, which has nine locations in Santa Cruz County, agreed in May to buy 76 Corner Stores in California and three in Wyoming for $408 million.

Three years Valero Energy Corp. spun off CST Brands as a publicly traded convenience store operator based in San Antonio, and in December, CST was under pressure from hedge fund investor Engine Capital to boost the stock price.

There are eight Corner Store locations in Santa Cruz County with 48 employees and six locations in Monterey County with 52 employees, according to a May 4 letter from Henry Martinez, senior vice president of human resources for CST California Stations Inc.

He sent the letter in compliance with the California WARN Act. More than 500 workers are affected statewide, according to the WARN notices posted by the company.

None of the displaced employees are representing by a bargaining unit, according to Martinez, and none have “bumping rights,” to move into another position.

At the Corner Store in Scotts Valley, where a hiring sign was posted in the window, an employee said workers were invited to attend orientations Tuesday hosted by 7-Eleven at a Holiday Inn Express conference room in Santa Cruz.

Tuesday, Corner Store representatives at the orientation said employees would be offered jobs with 7-Eleven. A 7-Eleven representative checking in workers for the orientation said a corporate official would provide information, which was not immediately available.

Based in Irving, Texas, 7-Eleven is the world’s largest convenience store chain, operating and franchising more than 10,700 convenience stores in North America. The company is known for Slurpee slushy frozen carbonated drinks and as a veteran-friendly franchise.

Toshifumi Suzuki, CEO and chairman of parent company Seven & i Holdings since 2005, stepped down in April after a dispute with a hedge fund investor Third Point over strategy and leadership, according to The New York Times.

The small store size made it difficult for the company to stock more grocery and food items, which Lubel said were critical to boosting inside sale profits, and the small lot size “effectively blocks” the idea of razing and rebuilding larger stores.

It’s not clear whether 7-Eleven would pursue a rebuild strategy.

Brenda Stevens, assistant planner in Scotts Valley, said neither the planning nor building departments had received any applications for a project at 5451 Scotts Valley Drive, where Corner Store currently operates.

Workforce Santa Cruz County’s rapid response team has provided on-site services to the eight Corner Store locations in Santa Cruz County, according to Sara Paz-Nethercutt.

AFFECTED VALERO LOCATIONS

Here are the Corner Stores locations in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties being acquired by 7-Eleven and the number of employees who got layoff notices.